Hiram barber



PATENTED FEB. 19, 1861.

H. BARBER.

GATE.

Wnesszs:

UNITED HIRAM BARBER, OF MILPITAS, CALIFORNIA.

GATE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 31,485, dated February 19, 1861.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that L'HIRAM BARBER, of Milpitas, in the county of Santa Clara and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Gates; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in.

which- Figure 1 is a front view of my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the same, taken in the line cu, m, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the same, taken in the line '1, 2 Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to an improvement in that class of gates which are constructed and arranged wit-h a view to admit of being opened and closed by a person in a vehicle, or by a rider on horseback.

The invention consists in the employment or use of adjustable or movable guide rails on which the gate works in connection with springs and guides arranged substantially as hereinafter described, whereby the gate, when either in an open or closed state, may be inclined so as to move by its own gravity in connection with an impetus given it by springs, and the gate opened and closed by simply actuating a lever which may be done by the driver of a vehicle or a rider on horseback.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention I will proceed to describe it.

A represents a gate which may be constructed in the usual manner, its stiles a, a, extending some distance above the body of the gate, and each provided with a roller 6. The rollers I), 6, rest on rails B, B, the inner ends of which are secured by pivots or bolts 0, 0, to a central post C, which is slot-ted vertically to allow the gate A, to

pass through it, the latter being suspended on the rails B, B.

The outer ends of the rails B, B, are c011- nected by cords or chains (Z, to levers D, D, which are placed on a horizontal plate E,

that connects the upper ends of two posts F, F, and the post C.

The posts F, F, are also slotted vertically like the central post C, in order to receive the ends of the gate, and in each post F, F, a spring G, is secured; said springs being secured at their upper ends to their posts, as shown at c.

Vithin each post F, F, near its lower end there are placed plates f, two in each post. These plates are of curved form and serve as guides for the gate as the latter is raised.

The gate A, has a pin g, projecting from it at each side, at its lower part and near each end. These pins pass below and behind the plates f, as the gate enters the slots of the posts F, F, see Fig. l.

The spaces between the posts C, F, F, are each nearly equal to the length of the gate, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3; and the gate is provided at each end with a hook g, which hooks catch behind hooks h, attached to the posts F, F, and form gate fastenings,see more particularly Fig. 3.

The operation is as follows: Suppose for instance the gate A, as shown in Figs. 1, and 2, to be in a closed state. A person to open the gate actuates one of the levers D, and thereby elevates the rail B, and consequently the end of the gate in post F, and as this end of the gate rises, the pins 9, 9, pass behind the plates 7,- f, which throw out-- ward the lower part of the gate against the spring G, in post F, and when the pins g, pass above the plates f, the spring G, forces the gate A, down the rail B, the gravity of the gate of course assisting its movement, and the gate passing through post C, and occupying the space between the posts C, F. To close the gate one of the levers D, is actuated and the rail B, inclined while the end of the gate in the post F, is elevated and the spring G, of said post forced outward through the medium of the plates 7, f, in post F, so that said spring may throw the gate back between the posts C, F.

\Vhen the rails B, B, and outer ends of the gate are elevated, the hooks g, on the gate rise above the hooks h, on the posts F, F, and the gate is therefore unfastened by the lifting movement. Persons on foot may open and close the gate by simply releasing the hooks g, from h, and sliding the gate on its rails B, B, the latter not requiring to be inclined when the gate is moved directly arranged to operate substantially as and lot by hand. d h the purpose specified. 2 Having thus escribed my invention W at I claim as new, and desire to secure bg Let- HIRA M BARBER 5, ters Patent, is Witnesses:

In connection with the adjustable rails LEWIS A. TUCKEN, B, B, the springs G, G, and plates if, f, Mt M. LIVINGSTON. 

